1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telephone devices, and particularly to an intelligent telephone set equipped with caller-ID and call forwarding capabilities.
2. Technical Background
The local exchange carriers (LECS) offer their customers various services such as caller ID (CID), call forwarding, and voice mail. Caller identification (CID) services are offered by the telephone companies to provide caller information to called parties. Typically, the CID is the caller""s telephone number. The CID information is used to track incoming calls, to trace malicious and prank calls, to store identified numbers for re-dial, and to block unwanted calls. Most countries employ the 1200 baud Bell 202 standard or the CCITT V.23 FSK format to provide CID services.
In one approach that has been considered, a telecommunications device was equipped to receive and analyze packetized information preceding the incoming call. The packetized information identified the call as being either a speech type call or data type call. The device generated a distinct ringing tone for data messages, and another distinct ringing tone for speech data. Based on the tone, the device doubled as a telephone set and a facsimile machine.
In another approach that has been considered, the service provider used an ISDN network to provide a signaling channel out of the voice band to transmit call forwarding information to the called party""s telephone set. The call was forwarded without the called party having to answer the call. The call was also forwarded without having to interrupt an on-going call.
While the above mentioned applications are useful, they are quite limited in their use of CID information. What is needed is an intelligent telephone set that allows a user to set criteria for receiving and processing calls based on CID data stored in the telephone set. In addition, an intelligent telephone set is needed that is capable of using CID data to forward calls in accordance with the extracted CID data. Typically, network based call forwarding services have to be manually activated and inactivated by the user. This often results in users being charged for unwanted calls being forwarded to their wireless units. By using an intelligent telephone set that forwarded calls using CID data, users could bypass the call forwarding services offered by the local exchange carriers.
The present invention addresses the above stated problems. An intelligent telephone set is provided that allows users to set criteria for receiving and processing calls based on CID data. The intelligent telephone set of the present invention also uses CID data to forward calls. The present invention provides CID, voice mail, and call-forwarding services while bypassing the Local Exchange Carriers (LECS). The present invention is applicable to the wireline network as well as the wireless network.
One aspect of the present invention is a telephone device for use in a telecommunications network. The telephone device coupled to the telecommunications network by a plurality of telephone lines. The telephone device includes a caller-ID circuit operative to extract a call identifier from an incoming call propagating on a first telephone line of the plurality of telephone lines. A call processing circuit is coupled to the caller-ID circuit, the call processing circuit being operative to assign the incoming call to a caller category based on the call identifier, to select a call processing action corresponding to the caller category, and to process the incoming call in accordance with the selected call processing action.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a telephone set for use in a telecommunications network. The telephone set includes a caller-ID component coupled to the network, the caller-ID component is operative to extract a call identifier from an incoming call. A processor is coupled to the caller-ID component. The processor is programmed to assign the incoming call to a caller category based on the call identifier, the caller category being one of a plurality of caller categories, and process the incoming call in accordance with one of a plurality of call processing routines, the processor selecting a call processing routine corresponding to the assigned caller category.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a telephone device for use in a telecommunications network. The telephone device is coupled to the telecommunications network by a plurality of telephone lines. The telephone device includes a database component having stored therein a plurality of caller identifiers, each caller identifier being associated with one calling category of a plurality of calling categories. A caller-ID circuit is operative to extract a call identifier from an incoming call propagating on a first telephone line of the plurality of telephone lines. A call processing circuit is coupled to the caller-ID circuit and the database. The call processing circuit being operative to associate the incoming call to a caller category based on the call identifier association in the database, to select a call processing action corresponding to the caller category, and to process the incoming call in accordance with the selected call processing action. A call forwarding circuit is coupled to the call processing circuit. The call forwarding circuit is operative to forward the incoming call to a predetermined telephone number over the second telephone line when the call identifier is associated with a predetermined caller category.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a telephone device for use in a telecommunications network. The telephone device is coupled to the telecommunications network by a plurality of telephone lines. The telephone device includes a database having stored therein data, the data including a plurality of caller identifiers, each caller identifier being associated with one calling category of a plurality of calling categories. A caller-ID circuit is operative to extract a call identifier from an incoming call propagating on one of the plurality of telephone lines. A call processing circuit is coupled to the caller-ID circuit and the database. The call processing circuit is operative to associate the incoming call to a caller category based on the call identifier association in the database, to select a call processing action corresponding to the caller category; and to process the incoming call in accordance with the selected call processing action. A data entry component is coupled to the database, the data entry component being operative to add data to the database, modify data in the database, or delete data from the database.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method for processing an incoming telephone call using a telephone set. The telephone set is coupled to a telecommunications network by a plurality of telephone lines. The telecommunications network including both wireline networks and wireless networks. The method includes extracting a call identifier from the incoming call propagating on a first telephone line of the plurality of telephone lines. The incoming call is assigned to a caller category based on the call identifier. A call processing action is selected corresponding to the caller category. The incoming call is processed in accordance with the selected call processing action.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method of providing and selecting from a menu on the display of a telephone set. The telephone set having a database, an instruction set, and a graphical user interface having a display and a data entry device. The method includes retrieving a set of menu entries from the menu. The menu entries are displayed on the display, each menu entry representing a telephone set maintenance operation. One menu entry is selected from the set of menu entries on the display using the data entry device. The operation representing the selected menu entry is performed. A signal from the telephone set is transmitted, the signal being indicative of the selected menu entry.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a computer readable medium having stored thereon a database. The database includes a first portion having stored therein a plurality of caller identifiers. Each caller identifier being associated with one calling category of a plurality of calling categories. A second portion includes a library of ringing tones, each ringing tone being associated with one calling category of the plurality of calling categories. A third portion includes a record log for storing at least one call characteristic of at least one telephone call established between the telephone set and a remote destination telephone set.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure. The data structure includes an incoming caller identifier, a date of an incoming call, a time of the incoming call, and a caller category.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure. The data structure includes a calling party identifier, a date of an outgoing call, a time of the outgoing call, a caller category, and a duration of the outgoing call. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the invention.